stop

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 止 has 4 strokes and denotes stopping movement or blocking something.
• Basic usage: 止まる is read とまる, and 止める is read とめる.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• What stops and what is stopped
  • 車が横断歩道の手前で止まった means that the car stopped before the crosswalk.
  • 車を止めた means that someone stopped the car.
  • が marks what comes to a stop; を marks what someone causes to stop.